


same old someone

by chlodine



Series: from tumblr [7]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, this is honestly the sweetest shit ive ever written and i ONLY write fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 22:57:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17969660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chlodine/pseuds/chlodine
Summary: Chloe was beaming like she’d won the lottery and what else was Nadine to do except indulge her.





	same old someone

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr post](http://nadiineross.tumblr.com/post/177402761806/note-this-was-gonna-be-for-day-4-but-i-didnt-get)
> 
> i wrote this 6 months ago but i think the song i was listening to was "just the way you are" by billy joel

Chloe’s hometown was, once again, in the strange transitional state between summer and fall where the sun still burned brightly in the day but the night air was just a touch above too-cold. At sunset, the townspeople would breathe sighs of relief like how one would upon entering a blissfully air-conditioned room after a long day, glad to be out of the smothering Australian heat. 

What they got was a pleasantly cool evening, fewer bugs, and the sounds of muted chatter. People took out their plates and chairs, sitting out on their porches or in their yards to enjoy the reprieve. 

The Frazer-Ross household was one of the few who hadn’t taken to the outdoors, though their lovely semi-transparent curtains did present themselves to the town through open windows. 

The sliding doors were left open, living room lights swelling past the translucent curtains and catching on the thin blades of grass dotting their backyard. 

Inside, Nadine was placing dishes into the table, carefully straightening out forks and spoons, and delicately folding a napkin to tuck under a plate. Chloe’s phone was plugged into the speakers, the volume turned low so that Nadine could barely make out the words of the song.

“Chloe,” she called and frowned, glancing over her shoulder at the kitchen. 

“Yes, love?” came through the open doorway. 

“Louder, please.” 

Chloe complied. Billy Joel’s crooning drifted through the walls, around corners, and out into the backyard too. Nadine began to hum along to the music, enjoying the serenity of the moment. 

Suddenly, the fairy lights pulled over the slatted wooden roof in the backyard flickered on. They glowed a soft orange, hung in uneven rows. Those that were in need of a change blinked on and off. Chloe had set it all up herself half a year ago after she had sent Nadine off with an absurdly long grocery list and surprised her with a picnic blanket under it later in the night. She was a closeted romantic, her wife.

They were both well past their forties, been with each other over a decade, and the way they acted with each other, the sweetness of it all, sometimes still surprised Nadine. It wasn’t to say they’d gone soft because she doubted she’d ever know how to do  _that_. They were just in the habit of making each other smile. 

As if on cue, the music turned up even more and Nadine’s grin widened. 

The table was as neat as it was ever gonna be, so she left it alone, reaching up to undo her hastily scraped updo and pushing the loose curls away from her face. 

Perhaps it was the ambiance setting the mood, perhaps this was just the kind of person she’d grown to be—she gazed out at the yard and began to sing softly. When a warm presence hovered behind her, she broke off, eyes blinking open to see the soft glow of their fairy lights. Behind her, Chloe picked up where she left off. She wound one arm around Nadine’s middle and swept Nadine’s hair off one shoulder so she could slot her chin in place. 

The whole thing was terribly cheesy; even alone, a younger Nadine would have been mortified by the thought of doing this.

Slowly, she relaxed into Chloe’s embrace and started again in a hum, eyes closed. Chloe pressed a grin to her neck, a kiss, and sang louder. Neither of them would ever be good enough to go for a professional singing career, but Nadine thought that they sounded pleasant enough for a pair of thieves. At least, not ear-shatteringly terrible. 

Chloe lulled Nadine into a sway and led her away from the table, likely to avoid potential toe-stubbings in a rare show of forethought. Emboldened, Nadine joined in for the last line. 

Chloe exhaled softly, warm breath fanning over Nadine's exposed skin. It could’ve been a huffed laugh or a simple expression of happiness, Nadine couldn’t tell. 

The next song, something acoustic, played after the saxophone faded out. They slowed to a stop. Smiling, Nadine turned her head, eyes downcast to watch Chloe push her head against her neck, and brushed the corner of her lips against Chloe’s temple. Contented, Chloe hummed tunelessly against the heat of her skin. 

Before she pulled away, she stooped impossibly closer and gave the meat of Nadine’s neck a playful tug with her teeth. It was jarring—that and the sudden absence of Chloe flush against her had her yelping out an annoyed, _"oy!_ " 

She swiveled around to give Chloe an admonishing glare. 

Chloe simply smiled over her shoulder, halfway to the kitchen door already. “Wait one second please.”

Huffing, she waited. 

Mid-word, the song changed to something she didn’t recognise. It was faster than the other two but not overly so, and the voice was low and smooth. The volume jacked up suddenly and Chloe came skidding out a beat later. 

Nadine couldn’t stop the wide grin at the mere sight of Chloe’s giddiness, dropping the huffy attitude in favour of opening her stance so Chloe could barrel into her. She swung around Nadine’s middle, picking her up into the air for a spin. Nadine slung her arms around Chloe's neck in alarm.

“Come on,” Chloe said, glee making her almost  _giggly_. She would be appalled if Nadine voiced this so she didn’t. “Dance with me.” 

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Nadine found herself laughing along. Chloe set her down on the other side of the table and dragged her by the hand into the backyard. Their feet were bare against the grass and dirt, and Nadine knew she’d have to shower again just to get the muck out between her toes but she couldn’t find it in herself to mind. After all, Chloe was beaming like she’d won the lottery and what else was Nadine to do except indulge her.

Chloe smoothed her hands over the top of Nadine’s airy blouse and then back up to her shoulders. Without further prompting, Nadine snaked her arms around Chloe’s middle and settled them at the small of her back. 

Washed in orange, they danced and stared at each other and tried not to crack up whenever their eyes met. 

They stumbled a good meter off course, Chloe jerking back from a rock she'd stomped on, and dissolved into a fit of snickers. Laugh lines wrinkled into the edges of Chloe's eyes, eyes gleaming under the light.

Nadine felt faintly like a lovestruck teenager enjoying a domestic moment with her high school sweetheart. She wondered then, briefly, what young Chloe would’ve been like and in quick succession, thanked God for blessing her with an adult one. She doubts her former self could handle the company of a bratty teenage Chloe, let alone enjoy it, the uppity kid she was, always seeking her father’s approval. 

The song changed again, to something classical this time. Chloe immediately adopted a stern face and, rather dramatically, stepped away to bow. 

“You queued this to do this specifically, didn’t you,” Nadine said as she took Chloe’s hand anyway and let herself be swept into a waltz. 

“I did,” she admitted readily. 

“Ridiculous.” 

“You bring it out of me.” 

“You, too,” Nadine replied, softly. 

They bumped into a flower pot, but neither of them was particularly stringent about garden maintenance. Nadine led them off to the other end of their backyard, twirling them to the turn of the music. 

“I wonder what else I bring out of you,” Chloe said, coyly. 

Before Nadine could reply, Chloe spun her with some flair and yanked her closer. Using the momentum, Chloe backed them up the single step into their home and fell backwards into the couch. Nadine’s laugh cut out into a short huff as she landed on top of Chloe, propping herself on her elbows so she didn’t crush her wife completely. Chloe watched her, carefully, eyes shining under the glow, and pushed a palm up to cover Nadine’s cheek. A smile teased at her lips. 

They were quiet for a moment, the sound of violins filling in the calm. 

Finally, Nadine dipped her head down for a languid kiss. Chloe made a happy sound, deepening it. When she backed up, Chloe followed her for a moment until she relaxed back into the cushion. Nadine hovered only an inch away, eyes crinkled with her grin. 

“Hi.” 

Chloe rubbed a thumb against her cheek. “Hey.” 

“Had your fun?” she asked, patiently. 

“I did.” Chloe nodded, nose brushing against Nadine’s as she did. Her eyes slipped closed and she pulled Nadine down a bit more. “Did you?” 

“Ja,” she said with a laugh. Nadine kissed her again, sighing through her nose when Chloe returned it with enthusiasm. 

The music had returned to their Billy Joel playlist in the time they spent making out and whispering silly things to each other. 

Eventually, Nadine let up, hoisting Chloe to her feet by the single arm she’d wound around Chloe's back.

Chloe lay her hands on Nadine’s collar bones and aimed sloppily for her cheek, getting her jaw instead. She patted Nadine’s face before she stepped away with a somewhat incredulous laugh. 

“God,” Chloe exhaled, “I’m in love with you.” 

Nadine blinked, smiled, then went a bit red. This wasn’t exactly news to her, seeing as they were married and all, but they weren’t the type to be so candid with their affection. Usually, they were a show-don’t-tell kind of couple, and it suited them just fine. 

“Thanks, _wife_ , I’d hope so,” Nadine said, lieu of replying in kind. 

Chloe pouted. “Hey, attitude, I’ve been so romantic all night.” 

Huffing a laugh, Nadine steered her to the kitchen and gave a gentle shove. The dishes Chloe had been preparing were waiting in their respective steaming bowls on the counter.Nearby, a bottle of wine stood uncorked. 

Before Nadine could make for the plates, Chloe shot out to grab her wrist and hauled her closer. 

Nadine tilted her head, unimpressed. Chloe just waited. 

“ _Really_?” 

“Yes,” Chloe said, deathly serious, and then nestled her head in the crook of Nadine’s neck, sighing into the hollow at the base of her throat. 

Nadine pressed her head against Chloe’s and failed spectacularly at suppressing her grin. “I married you, dickhead.” 

Chloe nodded against her. “Mhm. That, you did. It's been great.”

A beat later, Nadine brushed her lips against Chloe’s forehead, murmured a quiet, “ _love you_ ,” and, after Chloe gave her a decisive nod, untangled herself from their impromptu hug.

They made quick work of setting the table and dug in. 

Out of nowhere, Chloe poked Nadine’s calf with her toe and waited for her to glance up. 

“It’s good.”

“What’s good?” 

“That you love me. That I love you.” 

“Are you on something?” Nadine bounced a fork in her hand and leaned closer to examine Chloe's face. “What’s gotten into you? You alright?”

Chloe scoffed. “Wow. Meet a girl in a war zone and woo her so thoroughly, she goes and forgets all about the rocky start.”

Nadine stared at her for a drawn-out second.

Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Ah." She speared some food onto her fork, attempting for nonchalant. “We don’t celebrate this anniversary.” 

“Yes, we do,” Chloe insisted. “We do the decades.” 

“The _decades_ —?” 

Nadine stopped short. Her fork hovered in the air until she slowly put it down. 

Ten whole years, she’d known and grown to love this infuriatingly gorgeous, cunningly intelligent woman. Chloe smiled as she watched realisation dawn on Nadine. She looked ethereal, megawatt grin, outlined by a faint orange glow from their fairy lights.

Nadine was overcome by the urge to hold Chloe again and, never one to shy away from going after what she wanted, she put down her fork and stood. 

Chloe made a sound of protest. “Hey, I made us this and you’d better eat it.” 

“Half of this is microwaved leftovers that _I_ cooked,” Nadine pointed out. 

“Yes, and  _I_   microwaved it,” Chloe started, but then stopped when Nadine dragged her chair back and settled into her lap. “Oh, well, okay.”

“You’re so annoying.” 

“Yes, you were always the sweet talker between the two of us.” 

Nadine forwent a response, pulling Chloe closer by the back of her neck. They stayed together for several long seconds before parting. Her eyes were a stormy grey, her swollen lower lip trapped beneath a row of white teeth. 

“Happy anniversary,” Chloe murmured, arching up to lick into Nadine’s mouth again.

Breathless and unable to contain her grin, Nadine cupped Chloe’s neck in both palms to keep her from straying. Not that she had any intention of doing so. No, she would have to stay. In another decade, Nadine Ross would be owed a dance and Chloe Frazer liked to stay even.

**Author's Note:**

> i was very close to naming this thing after sucker by the jonas bros bc im a basic bitch! 
> 
> anyway pls comment, lmk whats up, hmu on tungle, whatever


End file.
